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February 20
1800s *1884 - The Altoona Mountain City (Pennsylvania) is admitted to the Union Association as its seventh club, leaving Lancaster as the only franchise in the Inter-State League. *1887 - New York Giants shortstop and team captain John Ward thinks that the open sale of players has gone too far. "I wouldn't play in Kansas City under any circumstances," he says, but a club could force him to play there or not play at all. *1889 - Sam Rice is born in Morocco, Indiana. A quick outfielder with a great arm, Rice led the American League in hits twice, in stolen bases once, and collected at least 200 hits on six occasions, while finishing in the top ten in batting average eight times. Rice will gain election to the Hall of Fame in 1963. 1900-1920s *1903 - Nicholas Young remains National League president when A.G. Spalding bows out of the battle. *1920 - The Chicago Cubs give an unconditional release to Lee Magee after they learned a week ago from him that he had been betting against his team. Magee will sue the Cubs for his salary of $4,500 charging that his livelihood as a ball player was destroyed through the sudden canceling of his contract. The Cubs will ask for a dismissal of the suit, saying that "previous to the making of the contract the plaintiff was guilty of betting against the team of which he was a member, and sought to win bets by intentional bad playing to defeat said team." *1923 - Future Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson becomes president and owner of the Boston Braves. Mathewson purchases the team for $300,000 with New York attorney Judge Emil Fuchs and Bostonian James McDonough. The deal does not include Braves Field, which still belongs to James Gaffney. There are also 85 minority stockholders. *1929 - The Boston Red Sox announce they will play Sunday games (allowed for the first time in Boston) at Braves Field, because Fenway Park is located too close to a church. 1930s-1940s *1936 - The New York Giants buy back good-hitting first baseman Sam Leslie from the Brooklyn Dodgers. *1943 - Chicago Cubs owner Philip Wrigley and Brooklyn Dodgers executive Branch Rickey draw up charter for the All-American Girls Softball League, which will eventually become the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL). The league, originally conceived in the belief that the major leagues would suspend play because of World War II, will operate from 1943 to 1954 around the Chicago area. When the league change its name and switch to hardball, the pitching distance is 40 feet and bases 68 feet apart. After struggling through poor attendance in its early seasons, the league will draw over one million fans in 1948. 1950s *1953: **August A. Busch buys the Cardinals from Fred Saigh for $3.75 million and pledges not to move the team from St. Louis, Missouri. **The U.S. Court of Appeals rules that organized baseball is a sport and not a business, affirming the 25-year-old Supreme Court ruling. This effectively dismisses the antitrust suits of Jack Corbett and former Brooklyn Dodgers minor league executive Walter Kowalski. The $300,000 suit of Corbett, the owner of the Texas League El Paso club, is based on his belief that he lost money when Major League baseball prohibited him from signing several players suspended for participation in the Mexican League. Kowalski's $150,000 suit is based on the general principles of the antitrust and restraint-of-trade laws. Their lawyer in these cases is Frederic Johnson, who also represents player Danny Gardella in his suit against ML baseball. *1958 - The Los Angeles Coliseum Commission approves a two-year pact for use of its facility by the Dodgers. *1960 - Branch Rickey meets with officials of the proposed Western Carolinas League about pooling talent for Continental League clubs. 1960-1970s *1963: **The Chicago Cubs put an end to their radical "College of Coaches" system and hire Bob Kennedy as manager. Under Kennedy, the Cubs will sport a respectable record of 82-80 in 1963. **After leading the San Francisco Giants to the pennant the previous season, Willie Mays becomes the highest paid player signing a $100,000 contract. *1966 - The American League officially announces the hiring of Emmett Ashford, who will become the first black umpire in major league history. Ashford will make his American League debut in 1966. *1971 - Former slugger Ted Kluszewski hits a 500-foot three-run single to lead the National League team to a 5–3 victory in the annual March of Dimes Old Timers Game. 1980s-1990s *1980 - The Oakland Athletics sign Billy Martin to a two-year contract as manager. Martin, who was fired by the Yankees only four months earlier, will popularize the notion of “Billy Ball” with the A’s and lead the team to a split-season crown in 1981. *1984 - Pedro Guerrero becomes the highest paid player in Dodgers history when he signs a five-year, seven million dollar contract to play in Los Angeles. *1997 - Free agent outfielder Danny Tartabull is signed by the Philadelphia Phillies. Tartabull will break his foot on Opening Day and sit out for the year before retiring. *1999 - The Pittsburgh Pirates sign free agent shortstop Pat Meares to a contract. 2000s *2001: **Longtime baseball figure Bill Rigney dies at the age of 83 after a long bout with cancer. After an eight-year playing career in the major leagues, Rigney went on to manage the New York and San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Angels, and Minnesota Twins. Rigney also worked as a scout, executive, and broadcaster in a career that dated back to 1938. **Atlanta Braves outfielder Andruw Jones wins a record $8.2 million contract in salary arbitration. The previous record of $7.25 million was set last year by New York Yankees reliever Mariano Rivera. *2006 - San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds says the 2006 MLB season will be his last, according to a report in USA Today. Meanwhile, Chicago Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux won't say whether this season will be his last, he just wants to concentrate on the basics and enjoy the game. Births *1889 - Sam Rice, Hall of Fame outfielder (d. 1974) *1896 - Muddy Ruel, player and manager (d. 1963) *1913 - Tommy Henrich, All-Star outfielder *1920 - Frankie Gustine, All-Star infielder (d. 1991) *1922 - Jim Wilson, All-Star pitcher (d. 1986) *1928 - Elroy Face, All-Star pitcher *1941 - Clyde Wright, All-Star pitcher *1959 - Bill Gullickson, pitcher *1966 - Derek Lilliquist, pitcher *1972 - Shane Spencer, outfielder *1975 - Liván Hernández, All-Star pitcher *1980 - Ryan Langerhans, outfielder *1983 - Justin Verlander, pitcher *1985 - Ryan Sweeney, outfielder Deaths *1954 - Sadie McMahon, pitcher (b. 1867) *1985 - Syl Johnson, pitcher (b. 1900) *1988 - Bob O'Farrell, player and manager (b. 1896) *2001 - Bill Rigney, All-Star player and manager (b. 1918) *2006 - Curt Gowdy, Hall of Fame sportscaster (b. 1919)